Today, disposable, absorbent articles, such as diapers and adult incontinence briefs, are widely used in infant and toddler care and in the care of incontinent adults, as a means of containing, isolating and disposing of bodily wastes. These articles have generally replaced reusable, washable cloth garments as the preferred means for these applications because of their convenience and reliability. The typical disposable article is a composite structure containing a number of layers of material. Included in these layers of material are generally a liquid impermeable outer layer or backsheet, one or more layers of material forming an absorbent core, and a liquid permeable inner layer or topsheet. The layers comprising the article are generally secured together by lines of adhesive, with the backsheet and topsheet usually directly adhesively interconnected around the periphery of the article. Elastic bands are often provided along the longitudinal sides of the article to constrict the topsheet and backsheet to produce leg cuffs, which fit snugly about the wearer's legs. In addition, closure devices, such as adhesive tabs, may be provided for removably fitting and holding the sides of the article together about the waist of the wearer. Alternatively, the article may be folded and sealed or otherwise attached along opposing side edges to form a pant or brief.
While many advancements have been made in the field of disposable articles for both infants and adults, which have enabled them to be widely preferred over conventional cloth garments, a number of problems still exist. Among the problems experienced with these disposable articles is the inability to determine whether the article has been soiled without substantially removing the article. It is desirable to detect soiling of the article as soon after it occurs as possible, in order to reduce the occurrence of diaper rashes and other skin irritations and infections.
Currently, there are a limited number of options available to a caretaker for determining whether an article, such as a diaper, has been soiled. The first of these options is to smell the article in order to detect the odor of stool or urine. While this option is non-intrusive to the wearer, it is highly subject to error, because the deodorants applied to the article may mask the odor of the waste and the odor of the waste may vary. Another option is for the caretaker to at least partially remove the article from the wearer to see whether it is soiled. While this method is more accurate, it is also more invasive and inconvenient, requiring at least a partial removal of the wearer's clothing and the absorbent article. A third option for inspecting the article is for the caretaker to stick a finger into the rear portion of the article to "feel" whether it is soiled. While this method also tends to be very accurate, it can be a rather inconvenient and/or unpleasant experience for at least the caretaker.
Articles have been developed which include transparent portions for viewing bodily waste in the article without the need for removing the article. For instance, Haque, U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,708, issued Jan. 7, 1992, discloses a diaper which includes a transparent outer layer and an opaque soft lining material. In the Haque diaper, openings in the form of character shapes are provided in both the front and back portions of the soft material, so that soilage can be readily viewed from outside the diaper. While the Haque diaper eliminates the need to remove the diaper to detect soilage, its transparent outer layer creates an unsanitary, unpleasant appearance, because the soilage is visible to not only the caretaker, but also to anyone else who is in visual contact with the wearer before the diaper is changed. Additionally, the viewing site must be at the location of the diaper where the soilage is present.
Accordingly, to overcome the above and other problems, it is desirable to have a disposable, absorbent article that includes fiber optic material to indicate when the article has been soiled without removing the article. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention also allows the indication to be provided at a remote location of the diaper away from the location of the soilage. Further, it is desirable to have such an article in which the sanitary outer appearance of the article is maintained.